The invention relates to a chromatography column comprising a metal tube which is filled with a sorbent and is provided with distribution and sealing elements at both ends. A screw connection which consists of at least one support nut is attached to the column tube and a union nut for connection to capillaries is retained by the screw connector.
Numerous columns for chromatography are in use. These columns usually have, on both ends, an external thread or a support nut with an internal or external thread, so that capillary connections for feeding and removing eluent can be attached by a threaded stopper or a union nut.
Column cartridges have recently become increasingly available which do not have a screw connection, but are clamped either in a cartridge holder, as disclosed for example, in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,930,962, German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3,021,306 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,280, or inserted in a column clamping device in accordance with German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3,143,075.
For the supplier who wishes to supply his customers with both column cartridges and with columns with a reducing screw connection, considerable expense is incurred because of the double production lines and duplicate stocking. Accordingly, there is a need for columns which can be used both as cartridge columns and as columns with reducing screw connections.
It has been found that the problem can be solved by providing a removable screw connection on a column cartridge, allowing the column to be used either as a cartridge-type column or as a complete column.
In applicants' parent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 869,549, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,384, a chromatography column is provided which consists of a metal tube which is filled with a sorbent and is provided with distribution elements and sealing elements at both ends. A screw connection for connecting capillaries is provided. The screw connection consists of at least one support nut attached to the column tube plus a union nut. The support nut consists of two half-shells and can therefore be removed from the column tube when the union nut is unscrewed.